MacPro no longer available in Europe

As Apple Insider says, the Mac Pro is no longer available in Europe due to recycling regulations.

At this point Apple just needs to announce the next itineration even if it has a while before it comes out, or many people will be moving to windows machines in the near term, and yes the new iMac’s are nice, but they really don’t replace a MacPro!

EOS M firmware won’t improve Autofocus

Canon Rumors has the update, and it seems it will take new hardware to make the Autofocus better on the EOS M.

I would love an EOS M that really works well and has video capabilities as a second camera to go with my 60D, but be a little easier and more portable, but I don’t want a camera that doesn’t work right, so hopefully the sequel will be better. And honestly it should come with the lens adapter to use normal canon glass as that is the best feature and it should not cost $200 more for that feature.

My Microsoft Trackball Explorer is dying!

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I am a trackball user, and have been for a long long time. Back with my Mac Classic I used a trackball (kensington) and have used them every since. Eventually I ended up with the Microsoft Trackball Explorer, the greatest trackball ever created. Of course Microsoft stopped making them years back and no one has made a similiar or even OK replacement. Luckily back in the day I had bought 3 of them, and one of them died, but since then a second is not working so well and my main one keeps shorting out. The lights flicker and then the trackball dies. Now I have gotten it to work again for the time being, but there just isn’t anything in my future as a replacement.

Yes I also have a Kensington Expert Mouse that I bring to work with me, and I like it and can use it, but it isn’t as ergonomic and just not as well designed as the Trackball explorer.
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And I do really like Kensginton as when one of the plastic rollers broke off on one of mine they gave me a new one for free.

Now Logitech used to make the Logitech Cordless Optical Trackman (I never understood the need for a wireless trackball, it is not like you move it around much!). It looks like the closest thing I have seen to the Microsoft, except they have moved the second button to the right of the trackball and the back and forward buttons to the thumb position and not quite as well shaped for your hand, but even if it is, they don’t make it anymore, so…
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Now I have found a web site that talks about fixing a trackball explorer on your own, which I might have to do soon, and their is a seller on ebay selling repairs including upgrading the bearings to ceramic, refinishing the ball, and for on top of the $60 they will fix the electronics and plastic parts. So I might have to at least send in one of my 2 failing trackballs to fix them, as I have never found a good replacement for the awesome Microsoft Trackball!

New MacPro in the spring?

Appleinsider has a report that a French retailer, who has been forced to stop selling MacPro’s in March due to a new EU law, has said that they have word on Apple that new MacPro’s will arrive this spring.

Now that is all second hand, but with the current MacPro being banned in the EU, maybe Apple would try and re-assure it’s retailers, though why not just make an announcement. I guess they need to clear their current stock.

Still, lets hope this is true, and it gets releases at the WWDC. The current MacPro is quite old in the tooth and we need a thunderbolt equipped MacPro with PCI slots and power to spare including graphics power!